All posts by RAverett

Healthy Life

You Say Potato…

And I say Turnip. Or Kohlrabi. Or Daikon.

It’s not that I don’t love a potato, but I don’t like the high carbohydrates that come with it. I have always been a potato eater and love it prepared many ways, but if you’re trying to keep your carbs as low as I need to in order to not gain weight, then the potato has to be eaten sparingly or not at all.  I actually haven’t eaten a potato in over two years except for the boxty I tried in Portland last March (and gained 2 pounds from!) or the ¼ cup of boiled potatoes I may splurge for at the annual Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner this St. Patrick’s Day.  Mostly, I don’t miss them – mainly because I have found workable and delicious alternatives. The flavors are different from the potato and in some cases, more tasty.

The one place that I haven’t found a good replacement is for a baked potato. The potato has a unique texture when it’s baked and so far, nothing else I’ve tried has been a proper stand in for it. So, if anyone has found something that bakes up the same way, let me know.

 

Root Vegetables
Root Vegetables

Root vegetables, from top left: Turnip, Kohlrabi, Rutabaga (on top) and Daikon Radish

In the meantime, my go-to trio for most potato substitutions consists of turnips, kohlrabi and daikon radish. The turnip was in Europe long before the potato and doing the function of a potato in many dishes. It is wonderful in scalloped turnips, in stews, boiled and buttered, and many other ways that I am still discovering.  I have a hard time describing its flavor, but either you like it or you don’t. You do need to peel it unless you have a fresh from the garden turnip because I’ve found the skin a bit bitter. A member of the mustard family, they have a slight peppery taste, much like a daikon radish has. Larger, older turnips tend to be tougher and have more of that peppery taste, so they need to be cooked with other vegetables. One of my favorite recipes is turnips with green beans.

Kohlrabi is a recent discovery for me and one that I wish I had discovered sooner. It’s an odd looking light green vegetable with the stems coming out in several places at the top to support lots of lovely leaves that are also delicious in a salad, cooked like spinach or chard or added to soups, stews and casseroles. The root bulb actually grows above ground and should be picked when it’s about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. To me, it looks like a broccoli stalk in color and in texture. You peel the skin, which is like a thicker version of a broccoli stalk skin and the inside is a very pale green. It works very well in the same ways that the turnip does. By the way, all three of my go-to vegetables can be cut in planks and fried or roasted with seasonings and are wonderfully flavorful.

The daikon radish is a large root with a peppery flavor that isn’t too strong and is milder than a regular radish. Like other radishes, it’s great cut or shredded and added to salad. But you can also shred it and make hash browns. Or cut it up and add it to stews, soups and other potato dishes.

My favorite way to make a mash is to add equal parts of turnips, kohlrabi, daikon and cauliflower to the pot of boiling water and mash them together with butter and little but of heavy cream. Add seasonings and you have a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Add some flour and eggs to the leftovers and you have a mashed cake like a potato pancake.

Another overlooked vegetable, and one that I stubbornly refused to consider for years because I disliked it as a child, is the beet. It has a sweet, earthy flavor that is hard to describe. I tried cooking a couple of golden beets with green beans and ham the other night and it was delicious. So, I have added beets to the potato sub list. Beet greens are also tasty leaves that goes well with the kohlrabi leaf and can be used in the same way. I never thought I would be that crazy about leaves, but these are changing my mind.

Used a little more often as a potato substitute, cauliflower is also a great stand-in, not only for potatoes but for rice. You can put it in a food processor and chop it down to the size of rice, then cook it in rice dishes and it fills in very well.

How wonderful are these vegetables to a low carb lifestyle? They are awesome. Take a look at this chat I put together showing you some comparisons. I pulled the nutrition information from Spark People and/or Atkins or elsewhere on the internet, so I believe it is accurate. I used 1 cup diced as the quantity for each one.

 

table1

 

This list includes rutabaga, which is similar to a turnip but is a little sweeter. In many parts of Europe, including Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia and parts of England, it is called a turnip and is used for neeps and tatties (potatoes and turnips).The turnip mostly known in the US is the white globe with the purple top or a plain white globe. The rutabaga is also called a swede because it originated in Scandinavia. The two have different flavors but can be used the same way. The rutabaga is the highest in carbohydrates of the potato alternates that I’ve listed.

So, if you want to cut back on your carbs and calories, try using one of the root substitutes for your potato. Unless you want a baked one, that is and if I find a good substitute, I’ll let you know.

Appetizers, Recipes

Simple Rollups Make Great Game Snacks!

Here it is January again and that means the “big game”.  I have to be honest – the game doesn’t hold much sway around our house, but coming up really soon are the Olympics and we will be glued to the television for some of those events.  So while becoming couch potatoes, snack foods are the easy way to munch without losing too much game time.  I’ve already got a few snack options up on the blog, so check out those in the Appetizers section where there are things like Pollo Pequitos, Stuffed Mushroom, alternate chips and nachos.

Here are a couple of additional ideas for easy to do snacks that are low carb, guilt free munchies.  They’re good for at home or taking to a viewing party where you may not have many low carb options.  They are easily doubled or tripled for more people.

Turkey Rollups With Cream Cheese

4 slices of thinly sliced turkey

1 oz of cream cheese
1 teaspoon heavy cream or sour cream
Mrs. Dash Garlic Pepper seasoning or seasoning of your choice
4 teaspoons of guacamole or 8 thin slices of avocado
1 ounce of Queso Fresca or other crumbly cheese

Makes 8 roll-ups.

Let cream cheese soften, then mix with heavy cream or sour cream and seasoning until well blended.

Put a slice of turkey on a plate, spread 1/4 of the cream cheese mix onto the slice near the middle.  Spread 1 teaspoon of guacamole or place two slices of avocado along the cream cheese.  Sprinkle with crumbled queso fresca.  Fold one edge of the turkey in and roll it over the filling into a tube.  Cut the tube across the middle diagonally.  Repeat with the other turkey slices.  Makes 8 small appetizers, which is one serving for a solo snack.

To increase the recipe, just double or triple the amounts used.

For  24 small snacks, use:

12 slices of turkey
3 oz. of cream cheese
1 tablespoon of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash or more to your taste
4 tablespoon of guacamole or 24 slices of avocado
3 ounces of Queso Fresca

Nutrition Info per recipe:

Calories: 223.7  Fat: 7.5 g  Net Carbs: 4.7 g  Protein: 13.2 g

Per each small piece

Calories: 28     Fat: 2 g        Net Carbs: 0.6 g  Protein: 1.7 g

Ham and Pickle Rollups

Among our Irish friends, there’s a saying that any true Irish meal has two kind of potatoes.  Given our fondness for bacon, I think it could also be said that any true Irish meal around our house includes two kinds of pork.

4 slices of Deli ham,  or 8 1/4 inch ( or less) thick slices about 3″ x 2″
2 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup cheddar jack cheese or other cheese of your choice, grated
4 small sweet pickles, sugar free
2 slices of bacon, broken into pieces (optional)

Cut the ham slices in half so they are about 2″ by 3″.  Soften cream cheese by putting in the microwave for about 15 seconds so that it’s easily spreadable.  Spread cream cheese thinly on ham slices across the shorter side.  Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of grated cheese.  Cut pickles in half lengthwise and put in the middle of the cream cheese.  Put two or three small pieces of bacon against the pickle.  Roll up from one to the other and secure with a toothpick.

For the photos, I secured the rolls in two sections with a toothpick and cut them through the middle.  It makes a pretty display of the filling but isn’t necessary if you prefer to leave them as longer rolls.

I also made these using sliced spiral ham left over the New Year’s dinner.  The slices were more triangular and thicker so it is a more open roll.  These didn’t include bacon.  ou can also see that I tried a whole pickle, but it was a bit too much, both in fitting it into the roll and in flavor.

Makes 8 rolls or 16 half rolls.

Per each roll (with bacon):

Calories: 51     Fat: 4.2 g     Net Carbs: 0.5 g  Protein: 3 g

Originally POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 1/18/2014 2:38 PM

 

Desserts, Recipes

Pistachio Cream Cheese Pudding Dish is a Delight

I was recently reminded of a wonderful dessert that Toni Kelly, PK’s mom, used to make using a cookie base, a layer of cream cheese and a layer of chocolate pudding covered with whipped cream.  PK and I used to make it with several different puddings, including pistachio, which is the recipe that recently made its way through Facebook.  Recalling the absolutely heavenly taste of this dessert, I decided to convert it to a low carb version. The taste is still heavenly although the portions are a little smaller, but it’s a wonderful treat.

This can also be made into little tarts by making them in flexible silicone molds and I’ve included the instructions for those as well.  The 1/2 cup servings help control the portions and you’re not as tempted to sneak another spoonful as you would be from a whole pan of it.

Mom Kelly’s Pistachio Cream Cheese Delight

For the Pie crust:
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
1/3 cup Carbquick or Almond Flour
1/3 cup chopped Pecans
3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar Substitute

For the Cream Cheese layer:
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute
4 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Cool Whip or Whipped Cream

For the pudding layer:
1 regular sized pkg Sugar Free Instant Pistachio Pudding mix
1 1/2 cups cold Unsweetened Almond Milk or Unsweetened Coconut Milk or
6 oz. Heavy Cream and 6 oz. cold Water

Topping:
1/2 cup Cool Whip or Whipped Cream
1/4 cup chopped Pistachios

Spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray.  Preheat your oven to 350 degress (F).

In a small bowl, mix butter, flour, sugar substitute and nuts together to make a crumbly dough; press into 8×8 inch pan.

Bake for 15 to 20 min.  Set aside to cool.

In another bowl, mix powdered sugar substitute*, cream cheese and cool whip and spread on cooled crust.

Using a whisk or an electric mixer. beat pudding mix and cold milk until thick.   Cover the pudding with plastic and place in the refrigerator and let set for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens.  Spread on cream cheese layer and top with a layer of cool whip and chopped nuts.  Refrigerate for two to three hours before serving.

* If you can’t find powdered sugar substitute, you can make it by putting granulated sugar substitute, like Splenda or Ideal Sugar Substitute, into a food processor and pulsing until it turns into a fine powder.  Failing that, just use the granulated sugar and mix it in well.

To make as individual tarts:

Mix the crust as above. Prepare 12 tart pans (silicone ones are easier to peel the dessert out) and lightly spray with a cooking spray.

Put 1 tablespoon of crust mix into each tart pan and press it down to cover the bottom. Put all the molds on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Molds filled with baked cookie crust and cream cheese mix.

Mix the cream cheese as above, then put about 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture into each mold. Spread with the back of the spoon. If it doesn’t spread easily or sticks to the spoon, wet the back of the teaspoon and do about three before wetting it again.

Mix the pudding as above and let set until partially firm. Spoon 2 tablespoons of pudding into each mold. Put pan in the refrigerator to cool and set up more.

Once they are set pretty firmly, put the tarts, still in the molds, into the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour to get mostly solid.  Remove from the mold (silicone ones will peel back) and wrap in plastic wrap.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the tart from the plastic wrap and set on serving plate to thaw.  Spread Cool Whip or whipped cream on top of each tart and sprinkle nuts on top.

Frozen tarts will keep for several days.

Makes 12 servings
Nutrition Info per serving
Calories: 129.4 Fat: 11.4 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 2.1 g

 

Healthy Life

Zero Effective Carbs Equals Zero Flavor

2 Comments

Yesterday, I went to my local health food store and purchased two loaves of Julian Bread’s zero net carb breads, their regular bread and the cinnamon bread. First, these were in small supply at this big store that carries health food products and the cinnamon bread was frozen. They sell so few units that it’s best to freeze the bread. The bread lists online at Julian Bread’s web site for $7.95 a loaf, pretty pricey for a small loaf of bread, but from this chain market, it was $9.99 a loaf. Way too pricey!

But I had hopes that the taste of the bread would make up for it. This was not to be. I toasted up one of slices in the toaster. It was very thin, but it held together well and didn’t fall apart when I removed it. Often low carb breads tend to crumble. These breads are gluten free also so that is a plus for it. I buttered it, split the piece and my roomie and I both tasted it. No flavor! I would say it tastes like cardboard, but I’ve never eaten cardboard. It just didn’t even have a taste of salt or anything else a bread should taste like. Worse, the butter flavor disappeared in it.

Today, I tried a piece of the cinnamon bread with peanut butter and strawberry jam on it. It brought nothing to the party. The only flavors that came through were the toppings. Not even the cinnamon is distinct enough. It’s not even like a cracker.

So, I would have to say that this is not worth the money to purchase. You can make a better tasting low carb bread from scratch that only has a couple of effective carbs in it or buy a low carb bread mix from New Hope Mills or Bob’s Red Mill or LC Foods. Even my low carb soda bread has more flavor with a taste that’s very close to the real thing.

If you want to make low carb breads, I can’t stress how easy they are to make even though you may have to special order a few products. I get mine from Netrition.com. It takes about a week and the shipping is $4.95, no matter how much you order, so order several at one time, They carry New Hope Mills, CarbQuick, Bob’s Red Mill, Dixie Diner and LC Foods products, so they’re a great place for one stop shopping and shipping.

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 11/16/2013 1:06 PM

Main Dish, Recipes

Quick Fix Green Chile Chicken

Green Chile Chicken Skillet Casserole

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner so it’s time to throw out a few recipes to help celebrate the day!  Since I am a product of the Southwest, I love this kind of food, but I admit, much of it has a Tex-Mex flavoring to it.  This recipe is one I’ve made for years and always relished.  It’s easy, takes about 30 to 40 minutes to prepare and tastes wonderful.

It only required a couple of changes to make it low carb’d and that was mostly to replace the rice with riced cauliflower.  Using pico de gallo that is already made from the grocery store and canned green chile enchilada sauce really speeds up the process but still delivers the wonderful flavors.  If you can’t find pico de gallo at your grocery store, it is easy to make with onions, tomatoes, jalapeno chiles and cilantro.  There are many on the internet, but you can try this one.

Green Chile Chicken Skillet Casserole

Chicken strips work very well with this dish.

6 oz – Chicken Breast
4 tablespoons Pico de Gallo
1/2 cup Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
2 tablespoons Chopped Green Chiles
1 teaspoon Better than Bullion chicken plus 1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup Cauliflower, frozen, thawed and riced
1 cup Zucchini sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons Sour Cream,
1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Olive Oil

If starting with fresh cauliflower, par boil for 3 minutes and drain. If using frozen cauliflower, thaw and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes or par boil for 2 minutes, then drain excess water off. Process in a food processor for a few seconds until it is riced. Or you can chop finely or grate.

Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes.

Heat oil in a medium skillet and add the pico de gallo. Saute about three minutes over medium heat. Move to one side and add the chicken to it. Cook until brown on both sides, then add chicken broth or bullion and water to the skillet along with the enchilada sauce. Stir in the chicken pieces and let come to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, then add the riced cauliflower and zucchini.

Cook for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid is reduced and zucchini is fork tender. Add the sour cream and cheese and stir in to mix well, cooking for about three minutes more to melt the cheese.
Serves 2 or 3 people, depending in how hungry you are.

Nutrition Info: 2 servings
Calories: 274 Fat: 13.8 g Net Carbs: 5.7 g Protein: 26.2 g

3 servings:
Calories: 183 Fat: 9.2 g Net Carbs: 3.8 g Protein: 17.5 g